Japan Nuclear Site: New Fire and Workers told to Evacuate
Posted: March 15, 2011 Filed under: Breaking News, just because | Tags: Fukushima, Japan, Nuclear 34 Comments »
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This is a breaking news open thread!
It appears that there is a new fire at the Fukushima Plant, and the workers have suspended operations.
See updates below:
The situation in Japan is constantly changing so I will just post some updates below. For the latest news be sure to check:
Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant – Yahoo! News
Japan suspended operations to keep its stricken nuclear plant from melting down Wednesday after surging radiation made it too dangerous to stay.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the workers dousing the reactors in a frantic effort to cool them needed to withdraw.
“The workers cannot carry out even minimal work at the plant now,” Edano said. “Because of the radiation risk we are on standby.”
Radiation prompts Japan plant evacuation – Asia-Pacific – Al Jazeera English
Japan has suspended operations to prevent quake-affected Fukushima nuclear plant from melting down after a surge in radiation made it too dangerous for workers to remain at the facility.
Yukio Edano, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, said on Wednesday work on dousing reactors with water was disrupted by the need to withdraw.
The level of radiation at the plant surged to 1,000 millisieverts early on Wednesday before coming down to 800-600 millisieverts. Still, that was far more than the average. “So the workers cannot carry out even minimal work at the plant now,” Edano said.
For the latest Latest News via Kyodo News click here:
- 11:27 16 March
- 11:02 16 March
For the Latest news via New York Times:
11:13 P.M. |Core Group of Workers Remain at Plant
The Times’s Hiroko Tabuchi reports that a small group of workers remains at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, contrary to what an English translation of the chief cabinet secretary’s remarks had implied.
10:22 P.M. |Chief Cabinet Secretary’s News Conference
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yukio Edano, is holding a news conference that is being broadcast live on Japanese television. Mr. Edano said radiation readings started rising rapidly Wednesday morning outside the front gate of the Fukushima Daiichi plant. “All the workers there have suspended their operations. We have urged them to evacuate, and they have,” he said, according to a translation by NHK television.
Japan safety agency: roof cracked at Fukushima No 4 reactor | Reuters
Two workers are missing after Tuesday’s explosion at one of the reactors at a crippled Japanese nuclear plant, the country’s nuclear safety agency said.
The agency did not identify the missing workers, but said they were in the turbine area of the No.4 reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant, which was damaged by last Friday’s earthquake and tsunami.
Agency official also told a news conference there was a crack in the roof of the reactor building.
Latest nuclear plant explosion in Japan raises radiation fears – The Washington Post
Satellite photos show steam rising from the facility. The amount of radioactivity carried by the plume is unknown, but small increases in radiation — not enough to affect human health — were reported in Tokyo, about 150 miles to the southwest of the facility, and in other parts of Japan.
In response, NHK television reported that the Japanese government had ordered the country’s 47 prefectures to publicly report recorded radiation levels twice a day.
Updates on this breaking news will be posted below in the Comment Section.
For an time lapse video of the quakes in Japan, see the video below:
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Radiation prompts Japan plant evacuation – Asia-Pacific – Al Jazeera English
They’re saying one of the reactors has broken the containment vessel. I guess it’s number 4.
Smoke is coming from Reactor #3. Number 4 is the one that has all the spent fuel rods (nuclear waste) that isn’t protected in any kind of containment. It was under water, but has now been exposed.
This is from BBC world news radio.
Yes it is number 4, per the Reuters link in the thread above.
CNN is reporting that there is white smoke rising from Reactor 3.
Japan says may seek direct U.S. military help to cool reactors | Reuters
Too bad our president is too busy playing golf, partying, and watching basketball to answer the call.
I know, I wonder if the Japanese put big basketball jerseys on the reactors, maybe he will pay some attention to the problem.
I’m listening to BBC world news. They are talking someone in Japan.
Interviewer asks, if all the workers are being withdrawn, who is going to be monitoring the fires, etc.?
Answer: They are talking about doing something with helicopters [?!]
Now talking about how company doesn’t give timely info. Maybe the government is going to step in. But nothing seems clear.
I think there is a link up top that discusses the helicopter scenario, they cannot do it because of radiation to the pilots.
What good would helicopters be anyway? They wouldn’t be able to diagnose a problem down below. It just sounds like these people are clueless!
Oh I know, and what could the US military do?
NHK WORLD English
Japan Says 2nd Reactor May Have Ruptured With Radioactive Release – NYTimes.com
NHK WORLD English
President Obama’s Trivial Pursuits
Article says lots more parties are planned.
It is so disgusting…did you see that the US won’t support a no fly zone?
I think the Libyan rebels are screwed…
I think the entire free world is unless we’re planning on relying on Nicholas Sarkozy.
I put this on Front Page for tomorrow:
Qaddafi Forces Near Benghazi as Rebel Says World ‘Failed Us’ – Bloomberg
I am wondering if this guy actually understands that he is the President of the United States of America and not some minor celebrity who stars in B movies? I am just sick of sociopaths and narcissists directing the federal government. I want a real president.
This morning, as Japan’s nuclear crisis enters a potentially catastrophic phase, we are told that Obama is videotaping his NCAA tournament picks and that we’ll be able to tune into ESPN Wednesday to find out who he likes
help us jesus! Sky god! Great Goddess!
SOMEBODY!!!
Japan suspends work at stricken nuclear plant – Yahoo! News
You know. I just hate it when the 24 hour news channels leave us to their stale reruns with the worst of their talking heads like Piers Morgan and you know who on Faux News.
Do you get BBC on your NPR station at night?
No. I have it on cable in the front parlor but only get basic cable in my bedroom.
I’m talking about radio–NPR.
oh, I don’t know. I have a radio but it’s in the girls’ room. I only have used it during katrina. I guess I should check. It’s probably streaming on line somewhere.
On my bedroom radio, BBC World Service is on NPR from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. It’s good.
They live stream at their website.
They might have to do what they did to Bush during Katrina. Sit Obama down and force him to watch videos of events in Japan, Yemen, Libya, etc. until he snaps out of it. Maybe they should try throwing a pitcher of cold water in his face?
They would have to put his face in it or some bballer.
I swear, Obama’s is like a bad joke, that had a big build up…but ended up real crappy.
GE freaks out because the Japan meltdowns might hurt their business.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-16/ge-s-1-billion-in-nuclear-sales-at-risk-as-nations-ponder-industry-future.html
Like they haven’t killed thousands before …
The latest update is that the workers have returned to the plant. It’s 1:20 am CST here.